Cablegate: Malta: Demarche Delivered Demanding Russian

VZCZCXYZ0005
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHVT #0350 2310531
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 180531Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY VALLETTA
TO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1691

UNCLAS VALLETTA 000350

SENSITIVE

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (ADDED CAPTION)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: GG MOPS NATO OSCE PHUM PREL RS UN MT
SUBJECT: MALTA: DEMARCHE DELIVERED DEMANDING RUSSIAN
WITHDRAWAL FROM GORI

REF: SECSTATE 87098

1. (SBU) On the afternoon of August 13, Ambassador Bordonaro
raised reftel points with Maltese FM Tonio Borg, urging Malta
to engage the Russian government about continued reports of
Russian military activity around Gori, and to urge Russia to
investigate and end any possible ongoing atrocities in South
Ossetia and Gori, and to allow international inspections of,
and assistance to, both areas.

2. (SBU) FM Borg said he fully concurred with the message,
particularly the need to end any atrocities and allow
immediate access. Noting that EU FM's would meet in two
weeks' time in Avignon, he said he had already heard that
Georgia would be the top agenda item. When the Ambassador
asked whether FM Borg planned to press the Russian Ambassador
to Malta on these points he was non-commital but generally
positive, reiterating the importance of the matter to Malta
and to the E.U.
BORDONARO

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